From John Adams, in Okpoga
No fewer than five people have been abducted on their way from a farm at Ingle Otanufe community in Okpokwu Local Government area of Benue State.
The victims, it was gathered, were picked from different locations on their way from the farms.
National Public Relation Officer, Otanufe National Community Development Association, Clement Ijika, confirmed the incident to our correspondent. He said two people who he gave their names as Simon Okpe and Michael Adah, were abducted from Otanufe while a man and his wife were kidnapped from Efonugu on their way from the farm.
Although he said the abductors were yet to make contact with the relations of the victims, the incident has thrown the entire community into confusion.
He blamed lack of security presence in the entire Edumaoga community as the reason behind the recent invasion by the gunmen, stressing that the men of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guard had not made their impact felt in the community.
However, it was gathered that when the incident occurred on Wednesday, the people sent distress calls to the army stationed at Okpoga, the headquarters of the local government, when the police said they had no vehicle or motorcycles to move; but there was no response from the military.
“As I speak to you now, there is no attempt to go after these people to rescue the victims. The greatest challenge is that the soldiers and the police are not working in synergy, which is wrong. There is no way they can address the security situation in the area without working together,” the source said.
When contacted, the Chairman of Okpokwu Local Government, Hon. Amina Audu, confirmed the latest incident, but said only three people, two men and a woman were abducted by the gunmen.
She dismissed allegations that there was no response from the security agents in the area, adding that “the security agents told me that they went after the kidnappers immediately the incident was reported, but could not trace them.”
The police also confirmed the incident, but said the figures on social media were exaggerated. According to the report from the DPO, one Fulani and two farmers were killed in the crisis, and police personnel were stationed permanently in the area.